Overclock.net banner

Why you should not buy a Rosewill Photon

27K views 22 replies 10 participants last post by  shilka 
#1 ·
Alright time for another one of these threads and before i begin i want to say a few words, first off if you have one of these its not going to blow up and burn your house its not that bad its just not very good either, second this is an info thread to help and inform everyone what the flaws of the unit is, if you dont like this and you just want to rage and spam the thread becasue you dont like it then please stop reading right here and go away, thank you very much

This time around i am going to talk about the Rosewill Photon and why you should stay far away from this series.

All the info has come from these two reviews so all credit for testing goes to them.
http://www.jonnyguru.com/modules.php?name=NDReviews&op=Story&reid=405
http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/rosewill-photon-1200-power-supply,4236.html

So lets start and talk about all the problems and issues this series has and there is a lot to talk about.
Note that all ripple and voltage results are from the unit(s) at full load

Warning lots of text in this thread
First problem is this and i quote from the jonnyguru review


Our modular connectors of the moment. Hey, remember the issue I had with that Thermaltake from last time? The modular cables interchanging with one another? Well, I'm looking at this thing, and it seems like we might be dealing with that again today. The CPU and PCI-E connectors look the same. That's no problem if they are electrically compatible, but if not... big deduction coming.

Let me take these cables here and... yes, the PCI-E and CPU cables can be plugged into each other's connectors. I'll just try and turn it on now real quick, and...

Sigh. No, those connectors are NOT electrically compatible. The protection circuitry gave me a loud chirp and refused to let the unit run. Rosewill's gotta learn this one the hard way too, I guess.

Next part is about the voltage regulation which is not all that great



Sadly, there was no real improvement from the voltage regulation side of things here. This is probably due to the way the full modularity was implemented. With no vsense wires down to the connector, the unit only knows what the voltages are at the modular connector on the unit. If some pins are loose, well, then you get results like this. That's assuming the unit has vsense capability even at the modular connector. At this price point, it may very well be lacking that.

Either way, we get the same exact results from all three rails as we did cold. 3.7%, 3.2%, and 2%. Completely average. Not good, not bad, just kind of sitting there underwhelming us.

This part here might just be a bad one off but its still worth talking about



Oh, for the love of... that has to be the biggest build quality blunder I've seen since I started reviewing stuff here! How do you break one corner off the main PCB like this, anyway, without the screw being too tight? How was the unit able to run at all? I hope there are no PCB traces under there that got cut. I'll be looking at that in more detail in a minute.

Really, I can't figure out how they managed this. The screw wasn't overtight. Shipping damage? The housing should be bent nearby if that were the case.

Sirfa's been doing pretty good for a while now. This is the kind of thing I used to see from them in the old days, back when they were called Sirtec. I hope we aren't sliding back to old ways, here. Even so, the unit did run, and completed all tests. Of all the corners to break, this looks to be the one with the least impact on working condition.

And no... this has nothing to do with the output voltage regulation. This is on the primary side of the unit.

Quotes from the Tomshardware review
The unit is not protected very well inside the box-we found no packing foam on top or on the sides, and the bottom of the box only includes a thin sheet of packing foam. We expect much better protection for a product that costs $170. The bundle includes a pouch for storing the modular cables, a set of zip ties, a set of screws and a really thick AC power cord.

The Photon-1200 is made by Sirfa, an OEM that's mostly experienced in creating budget PSUs. However, Sirfa does have some interesting high-end platforms in its portfolio. The Photon-1200's internals are identical to the High Power Astro GD 1200W, which makes sense since both PSUs are based on Sirfa's HPJ platform. In the primary side, Sirfa doesn't use an LLC resonant converter, so we don't expect this unit to be able to compete in the efficiency section (at least not compared to PSUs featuring LLC resonant converters). In the secondary side, a synchronous design is used where active components rectify all rails, which is typical for this category.

The main switchers are a pair of Infineon 60R125CP FETs. The combo PFC/PWM controller, a Champion CM6800 IC, is installed on a small daughterboard. It's commonly used in Bronze-rated PSUs and lower. We don't have high expectations when it comes to the efficiency levels that this platform will provide, given the plain design and outdated PFC/PWM controller it uses.

Load regulation isn't bad, but it's not top-notch, either. Let's call it somewhere between good and bad. Compared with the more expensive PSUs in this category, the Photon-1200 doesn't score well. The supply does deliver its full power for prolonged periods, even at operating temperatures close to 50 °C (122 °F). However, this result wasn't achieved without problems, as you will see from the ripple results we measured. So, if you're building a power-hungry system with this PSU, keep its operating temperature below 40 °C (104 °F).

The situation gets worse when we start looking at noise output. Even at light loads, high ambient temperatures cause the fan to get really loud. Also, as you can see from the table above, it has significant bearing noise at around 1600 RPM where its acoustic output peaks. The inefficient platform doesn't leave room for a more relaxed fan profile.

The Photon-1200 isn't very efficient under light and normal loads, at least not for a Gold-rated PSU. This is something we expected, given the outdated platform. If you need higher efficiency and less noise, you'll have to spend more money.

Efficiency under light loads is mediocre. However, that's not the only bad thing about this unit. If you take a look at the fan noise column in the table above, you will see that its biggest weakness is noise, again, even under very light loads. We should note that we tested at an ambient temperature around 40 °C. Still, we expected much lower noise levels in this section.

But the worst part of the 850 watts+ is the ripple suppression which is not just bad or super bad its atrocious and probably some of the worst around on big name brand unit


If you dont know what ripple is you can read about it here
On ripple, and its effects on overclocking

Ripple suppression isn't good, especially at operating temperatures that exceed 44 degrees C. On the +12V rail, we don't want to see results above 50mV. Clearly, this platform lets us down with ripple measurements close to 120mV. The Photon-1200 cannot operate properly at high ambient temperatures and this is why it didn't manage to keep ripple suppression under control, failing in the 110 percent and Cross-Load 2 tests. Keep this thing's operating temperature below 40 °C, just as Rosewill recommends.

Rosewill is doing an outstanding job expanding its portfolio with all kinds of PSUs, covering the needs and demands of all categories, from the mainstream to the ultra-high-end. In the case of the 1.2kW Photon, the company's aim was to offer a powerful and efficient unit with some high-end features at a budget price. Admittedly, the Photon-1200 is one of the most affordable 1.2kW PSUs with an 80 PLUS Gold rating. However, if you spend just a bit more, you can get a much better-performing unit with higher efficiency, lower ripple and lower noise output from Rosewill or another vendor.

For many users, a PSU's acoustics can become really annoying, and in this case, they have every right to complain. The Photon-1200 is among the noisiest supplies we have ever tested. Rosewill could easily make it quieter by using a more relaxed fan profile. The existing one was most likely chosen to ensure the unit's cooling would be optimal under all conditions, as Rosewill's top concern was increasing the PSU's reliability to support a lengthy five-year warranty. The fan almost certainly has a greater thermal load to handle compared with other, more efficient PSUs in this category. But under lower loads, the company could make it spin slower, suppressing its noise levels.

If you're looking for a powerful PSU to go in a system that will be isolated (so that its noise won't be an issue), the Photon-1200 could save you some money, so long as you keep it running inside of a cool chassis. Unfortunately, the supply's price advantage isn't very big compared with other high-performance PSUs in this category, so it's equally tempting to simply buy something else.

Besides its noisy operation, the most significant problem with the Photon-1200 is bad ripple suppression at increased ambient temperatures. On the other hand, its strong points are quality Japanese capacitors, a fully modular cabling design and the ball-bearing fan that should last for quite a long time.

If the price came in under $150, we believe this could be an appealing option for folks wanting an affordable, fully-featured 1.2kW PSU. With its current price tag of $170, however, the unit is unlikely to claim a big market share in this category where other companies, including Corsair, Seasonic, EVGA, Super Flower and FSP offer better alternatives.

So there you have it and as you can see the Rosewill Photon is cheap for a very good reason as its very medcore and is loud at the same time.
You should just stay away from this series and get something much better.
 
See less See more
6
#2 ·
Thank you for bringing this to OCN, shilka!

TL;DR:

Usable, BUT noisy, bad bang:buck ratio, much worse performance when unit is warm, ripple is bad, voltage regulation could be better, and of course price is too close to other unit(s) that are better or the same thing for cheaper. Kind of sounding like a Corisair unit when I say it like that. Not trying to take a shot at Corsair since they have some great units, they are just a little too pricy.

EDIT: also wouldn't suggest for anyone who hasn't used a modular unit before. This issue stated below is a nasty one.
 
#3 ·
That flaw with the EPS and PCI-E that be pluged into each other is common on more then just the Photon series its a problem many of the new Rosewill series has.
I dont know what they hell they are doing or thinking.
 
#5 ·
The new Capstone G series is made by Enhance Electronics if you are not already aware.
No reviews on that series so i have no idea how good it really is.

In case anyone did not pick up on it the packaging on the Photon series pretty much sucks and its way too inadequate which may result in your PSU being damaged during shipping or even in its warehouse.
 
#7 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by pshootr View Post

I have this power supply, and the only thing I noticed is that with a certain power saving feature enabled in the BIOS "(C1E) I think" I hear a bit of coil whine. Other than that, everything is fine.
Just because you dont have any problems with it does not make it good.
Its terrible and you should replace it.
 
#8 ·
Thanks for showing us this, shilka. This is kind of surprising to see since I purchased the one for my brother's PC on short notice and I quickly scanned the specs and figured Rosewill was a good bet. I'm going to keep an eye out for a deal on an XFX or SeaSonic unit and replace it. I'll just keep the Photon for backup, hahaha.
 
#9 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by MrElusive View Post

Thanks for showing us this, shilka. This is kind of surprising to see since I purchased the one for my brother's PC on short notice and I quickly scanned the specs and figured Rosewill was a good bet. I'm going to keep an eye out for a deal on an XFX or SeaSonic unit and replace it. I'll just keep the Photon for backup, hahaha.
EVGA SuperNova B2/G2/P2 are often both better and cheaper then XFX / Seasonic units.
 
#11 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by shilka View Post

EVGA SuperNova B2/G2/P2 are often both better and cheaper then XFX / Seasonic units.
And superflower platform, correct? Think I paid $140USD for my 750 G2. Now it's down to 100 bucks? [nope, $119.99, they were at 100 not to long ago I thought I seen] and they got 10 year warranty, brand new vehicles don't even have that, they're half of EVGAs warranty.

Edit:
Well it is 119 breaking it down to 100 with rebate.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817438017
$99.99 after $20.00 rebate card
 
#12 ·
Unless something is on sale you would be hard pressed to find anything better then the G2 at that price point.
Its starting to feel like EVGA has a monopoly like Corsair had a few years back and this is not good so someone needs to bring out something just as good or better in the same price range.

We cant have a monopoly thats bad for the business and bad for us consumers.

Edit: forgot about the new fully modular Cooler Master V550/650/750 so we do have some competition even if the V series are not as good they are at least cheaper.
 
#13 ·
when i purchased this psu there wasnt a single review for a long time after... i got it at an introductory price of 135 i believe and its done pretty well BUT its always kept below the 40c... it will get replaced in the next upgrade go around until then hopefully all goes well but good info here... if only it were out 8 months ago when the psu was new
wink.gif
 
#14 ·
1200 watts is a bit overkill a 1000 watt PSU could power your system even if you have OC on everything.
But you should replace it as its not very good.
 
#15 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by shilka View Post

1200 watts is a bit overkill a 1000 watt PSU could power your system even if you have OC on everything.
But you should replace it as its not very good.
well i dont have a kill a watt meter but i have the cpu running at 1.512v and the gpus run around 1.28v under load at 1150 1350 so they are fairly overclocked but yeah the plan actually was to go 1440p or 4k and add in another 290 later... but given the recent crossfire incompatabilities in the games i play not so sure... at 1080p i definately dont need that horsepower... maybe when money permits i will swap it out and keep it in case i need one for testing... but thanks for the good reviews and heads up as always
 
#16 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by mfknjadagr8 View Post

well i dont have a kill a watt meter but i have the cpu running at 1.512v and the gpus run around 1.28v under load at 1150 1350 so they are fairly overclocked but yeah the plan actually was to go 1440p or 4k and add in another 290 later... but given the recent crossfire incompatabilities in the games i play not so sure... at 1080p i definately dont need that horsepower... maybe when money permits i will swap it out and keep it in case i need one for testing... but thanks for the good reviews and heads up as always
EVGA SuperNova G2/P2 is about your best bang for buck option.
Just note that the G2 units above 1000 watts does not have any hybrid fan mode so the fan always spins at 1000 RPM and more, there is an endless sea of users that complain about the high noise leves in ilde the high wattage G2 units have so be warned.
 
#17 ·
The units above 1 kW are somewhat pushing to the limit of the platform, it is running hot and obviously it is not handling the ripple. But everything else under 1 kW is OK, I don't know what the hell you are trying to achieve here. This is current High Power platform, evolution of the original Astro. The DC-DC switchders could have somewhat tighter regulation, but otherwise this platform is not that bad. I have seen several units on this platform, others will be reviewed soon, I have seen no catastrophy going on so stop spreading panic. I can see these units being spec'd for 40 °C so obviously they do not have to handle 50 °C that well.

Of course compared to new units like Corsair RMx it is falling behind.
 
#18 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by Behemot View Post

The units above 1 kW are somewhat pushing to the limit of the platform, it is running hot and obviously it is not handling the ripple. But everything else under 1 kW is OK, I don't know what the hell you are trying to achieve here. This is current High Power platform, evolution of the original Astro. The DC-DC switchders could have somewhat tighter regulation, but otherwise this platform is not that bad. I have seen several units on this platform, others will be reviewed soon, I have seen no catastrophy going on so stop spreading panic. I can see these units being spec'd for 40 °C so obviously they do not have to handle 50 °C that well.

Of course compared to new units like Corsair RMx it is falling behind.
he it's simply letting people know the pitfalls of the psu...I own one and it does well but it stays below 40c...which is kind of the point...some one could buy this put it in a small case with bad ventilation and it could kill their system...sometimes I read shilkas post and think it's slightly exaggerated but then I remember that's his way of steering people away from making a mistake that could cost them thousands of dollars
 
#20 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by Stige View Post

Hahahaha!

I just sent email to Rosewill earlier about warranty for my Tachyon 650W and they offered this garbage as a replacement for it.

Ofcourse I declined, will see what they offer next...
mad.gif
The only thing you should accept is a Quark as thats the only modern Rosewill unit that is in the same area with the old Tachyon
Dont let them offer anything else as everything else they have is worse then the Tachyon

The Rosewill today is a joke compared to how it was during the Capstone/Tachyon/Fortress days
 
#21 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by shilka View Post

The only thing you should accept is a Quark as thats the only modern Rosewill unit that is in the same area with the old Tachyon
Dont let them offer anything else as everything else they have is worse then the Tachyon

The Rosewill today is a joke compared to how it was during the Capstone/Tachyon/Fortress days
sadsmiley.gif
 
#22 ·
Quote: Originally Posted by shilka

The only thing you should accept is a Quark as thats the only modern Rosewill unit that is in the same area with the old Tachyon
Dont let them offer anything else as everything else they have is worse then the Tachyon

The Rosewill today is a joke compared to how it was during the Capstone/Tachyon/Fortress days



I refused the Photon and now they offered me a 750W Quark as replacement, now I only need to figure out how to get it to Finland because they only ship inside US...
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top